Wolfenstein: The New Order PC version will be geo-locked

Wolfenstein: The New Order will be geo-locked on PC, preventing German and Austrian gamers from accessing the International, non-edited version.

As detailed on the Bethesda Blog, the international version of Wolfenstein: The New Order contains Nazi-related symbols and content and cannot by law be sold, imported or distributed in Germany. There are serious legal ramifications for publisher Bethesda if it does not take steps to prevent this occurring.

“In order to prevent any digital copies of the international version from being sold, exported, imported or distributed into Germany, PC versions will be geo-locked so that they cannot be activated within Germany,” Bethesda wrote.

The international version will also be unavailable in Austria. Both Germany and Austria will receive a version of the game with the offending assets altered or removed, but “the levels of violence and action remain the same as in the international version”.

“Wolfenstein: The New Order is a fictional story set in an alternate universe in the 1960′s. Names, characters, organizations, locations and events are either imaginary or depicted in a fictionalized manner,” Bethesda added.

“The story and contents of this game are not intended to and should not be construed in any way to condone, glorify or endorse the beliefs, ideologies, events, actions, persons or behavior of the Nazi regime or to trivialize its war crimes, genocide and other crimes against humanity.”

Wolfenstein: The New Order is coming to PC, PlayStation 3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One on May 20.